Catamenial device



July 3, 1934. Q HAAS CATAMENIAL DEVICE Filed May 22, 1933 Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CATAMENIAL DEVICE Earle C. Haas, Denver, Colo. Application May 2 2, 1933, Serial No. 672,145

3 Claims. (Cl. 128--285) This invention relates to a catamenial device,

and the process of manufacturing the same. It relates more particularly to a catamenial device of the type illustrated in copending application, 5 Serial No. 576,179, Patent No. 1,926,900, of which this application is a continuation in part.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a catamenial device of this character which will have a maximum of expansion when in use;

- it) a minimum of size when not in use; which will insure the removal of all of the fibers of the catamenial pad when the pad is withdrawn; which will straighten and elongate itself to a minimum diameter during withdrawal; and which can be conveniently inserted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process of manufacture which will result in a device having the above advantages.

A further object is to provide a catamenial abco sorbent device of the insertion type which will prevent any harsh or sharp edges from contacting the tissues.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is deas signed for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency.

These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying so drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description. In the drawing: Fig. 1 illustrates an absorbent strip as employed in the manufacture of the device.

Fig. 2 illustrates the strip folded or convoluted for compression.

Fig. 3 illustrates the device as it appears in the finished, compressed condition ready for insention in the applicator.

Fig. 4 illustrates the pad in place in an applicator ready for use. p

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a type of mechanism which may be employed for c0m-' pressing the strip.

As described in the said copendingv application, catamenial devices of this character are designed to eliminate all external pads, belts, etc., and are employed internally in the vagina. Such devices comprise an absorbent member to be placed in the vagina with a depending, flexible withdrawing member by means of which the absorbent member may be withdrawn.

Heretofore such devices have been objectionable due to the fact that they were unsanitary; in-

convenient and disagreeable to insert; difficult to withdraw when filled with absorbed fluids; and liable to separate in the vagina so as to leave fibers or a portion of the pad remaining therein. The process of manufacture described in the following specification produces a pad which avoids all of these'objectionable features.

Commercial absorbent cotton is furnished in rolled strips of uniform Width. Owing to the process of manufacture the cotton fibers in the strip extend in a general longitudinal direction so that the strip has relatively more tensile strength in a longitudinal than in a lateral direction. This parallelity of fibers is utilized in attaining some of the objects of this invention.

A strip of the above type of absorbent cotton is cut laterally so as to provide absorbent strips, such as indicated at 10, of a length equalling the former width of the original strip from which the strips are cut. fibers naturally extend laterally so that the strips could be easily pulled apart in a longitudinal direction, but would resist pulling apart in a lateral direction. To increase the longitudinal strength of the strip, a thread seam 11 is stitched throughout the length thereof. This seam firmly ties all of the lateral fibers together and produces a strip which resist-s separation both laterally and longitudinally. It ispreferred to stitch this seam 11 with a chain stitch such as employed for closing flour sacks and the like and to continue the stitching beyond the extremity of the strip 10 to form a flexible chain-stitched withdrawing member 12.

The next step in the manufacture of the device is to fold the pad 11 into convolutions such as shown in Fig. 2 to reduce the length thereof. This folded convoluted pad is then placed into a die and pressed under high pressure from both the sides and the end to form a hard cy- 9C- lindrical core 13 with the withdrawing member 12 extending therefrom.

Of course, in the compressing operation, the strip 10 will be even more convoluted than originally folded since the natural result of the side and end compression would be to further convolute the strip so that the seam, 11 might assume a position in the core 13 as indicated in broken line in Fig. 3. The die with which the core 13 is pressed preferably does not extend to the extreme end of the core. This allows a mushroom-like end 14 to form. The end 14 is of greater diameter than the remainder of the core and is of less density than the core.

The compressed core 13 is then loosely slipped no In the strips 10 the 75 in the extremity of a cardboard tube 15 with the withdrawing member 12 extending therethrough, and with the mushroom-like end 14 covering, protecting and extending beyond one extremity of the tube as illustrated in Fig. 4. The entire assembly is then sterilized and wrapped in cellophane or a similar enclosure, packed in containers and is ready for the market.

The mechanisms for cutting, sewing and compressing the cores form no part of the present invention. ployed for the compressing operation is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5. Such a die would consist of a female block 17, in one side of which a receiving groove 18 is formed with a rounded bottom 19. A side compressing plunger 20 moves into the groove 18. The face of the plunger 20 contains a semi-cylindrical concavity 21. A plunger 22 is positioned above the die 17 so as to enter the cylindrical opening between the rounded bottom 18 and the concavity 21.

In use, the convoluted strip of Fig. 2 is forced into the receiving opening 18. The plunger 21 then moves inwardly to force the strip to--a cylindrical form and impart the initial compression. The plunger 22 then descends to impart the final compression. A space 23 is left about the bottom drawal the tube 15 is discarded. The natural moisture present causes the strip 20 to expand within the vagina from its compressed condition to substantially the condition 01 Fig. 2 as the fluids are absorbed.

When it is desired to remove the device, the member 12 is drawn upon. This, owing to the convolutions of the strip, causes the strip to straighten and be withdrawn in the elongated condition of Fig. 1. This facilitates the withdrawing operation and reduces the possibility of the absorbed fluids being pressed from the absorbent.

A typical die which might be emcomprising:

The tube 15 allows the core to be conveniently inserted; the end 14 prevents any injury; the convolutions allow easy withdrawal; and the laterally extending fibers in combination with the longitudinal tie member or seam 11 bind the entire structure so that all possibility of leaving portions or fibers in the vagina is avoided. Thus all of the objects of the invention are accomplished.

The words convolutions and convoluted as used herein mean-folded in curved or tortuous, sinuous windings, that is, bending in and out in a serpentine, wavy or accordion folded form.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is: p

1. A catamenial device comprising: a highly compressed, self-sustaining, absorbent core; and a flexible member secured to and depending from said core to form a withdrawing member, said core comprising a compressed, convoluted strip of absorbent material, said core being considerably shorter than said strip.

2. The process of forming a catamenial device comprising: cutting laterally extending strips from a sheet of absorbent material having longitudinally.extending fibers so that the fibers in said strips will extend laterally thereof; stitching said strip longitudinally so as to bind said fibers together; folding said strip in convolutions; thence compressing said convoluted strip both laterally and longitudinally tc form a relatively tight core of sufficient compactness to retain its shape until moistened.

3. The process of forming a catamenial device cutting laterally extending strips from a sheet of absorbent material having longitudinally extending fibers so that the fibers in said strips will extend laterally thereof; stitching said strip longitudinally so as to bind said fibers together; attaching a flexible withdrawing member to said strip; folding said strip in convolutions; thence compressing said convoluted strip to form a relatively tight core of suflicient compactness to retain its shape until moistened.

EARLE C. HAAS. 

